Weeder.



F.'B. SPRAGUE. WEEDER. APPLICATION FILED 1211. 1, 1911.

1,01 0,084. Patented Nov. 28,1911.

awumto c IINITE 'Iht% FATE FI IQE,

FREDERICK B. SPRAGUE, OF SMYRNA, NEW YORK.

WEEDER.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK B. SPRAGUE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Smyrna, in the county of Chenango and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IVeeders, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in agriculturalimplements and more particularly to a weeder, and my object is toprovide an improved form of tooth for a machine of this character.

A further object is to provide teeth having pivotal connection with thebars of the device and a still further object is to provide means forthe normal engagement of the teeth with the ground.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a guide memberfor the teeth and a still further object resides in providing a weightmeans for normally retaining the point of the tooth in engagement withthe ground.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in thespecification and claims. I

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figurel is a section through an angle bar of the machine showing my improvedform of teeth applied to use and showing in dotted lines a portion ofthe cultivator to which the same is attached. Fig. 2 is a detailperspective of a tooth and weight thereon removed from the angle bar,and, Fig. 3 is a similar view of the guide bar.

I11 carrying out my invention, I shall refer to the drawing in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which 1 indicates an angle bar of a weederframe supported on wheels (not shown), said angle bar being providedwith a plurality of L-shaped slots 2 through which are adapted to extendmy improved form of teeth 8. These teeth 3 have the upper ends thereofbent at right angles, as shown at 4, which right angular bent portionsare adapted to rest between the sides of the angle bars and be securedthereto so as to allow a pivotal movement of the teeth Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed April 4, 1911.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 618,859.

through the slots 2. In order to provide for the normal engagement ofthe points of said teeth with the ground, I provide each tooth with aweight 5 or plurality of same which is slotted, as at 6, to receivetherethrough the body portion of the tooth, and each tooth is providedwith a shoulder or the like formed by looping the body of the tooth, asshown at 7, to retain the weight thereon. In this manner, the teethbeing hinged at their upper ends and weighted in their body portions,have their points normally in engagement with the ground, but as saidpoints come in contact with obstructions, the same will readily ridethereover without disturbing the same. I have also provided for theguiding of the teeth as the same are raised and lowered, and to thisextent, I provide a plate 8 provided with a plurality of slots 9, saidplate being hingedly secured to the angle bar 1 by means of the linkingmembers 10 at the ends of said plate. I'Vhen properly positioned, theslots 9 of the plate 8 will be disposed in alinement with the slots 2 ofthe angle bar so that the teeth 3 may readily extend therethrough, andit will be seen that with this guide plate- S, the teeth will beprevented from lateral movement and will also be limited in their upwardmovement. The angle bar 1 or other part of frame has also pivotallymounted thereon a lever 11 which is connected to the guide plate 8 bymeans of the rod 12, whereby when it is desired, the guide plate 8 maybe raised, thereby raising the teeth3 completely off the ground, and adetent carried by the lever may be engaged with the segmental rack 13 toretain the teeth in any adjusted position.

It is well known that in most weeders of the present day, the teeththereof are fa tened rigidly to the main frame so that in order to clearan obstruction, a tooth must either bend, slide around the obstructionor the whole frame must be moved or the obstruction removed. In myimproved device, however, each tooth is individually hinged to the anglebar of the machine so that each may clear an obstruction independentlyof the other, and as each is also provided with a weight, the tendencyof said teeth will be to normally engage the ground. In this manner, adevice equipped with teeth such as I have disclosed, can be operated soas to remove all small weeds and yet not remove stones of anyappreciable size, thereby differentiating greatly from the weeder of thepresent day in which the rigidly mounted teeth rake stones and trash andcover small plants therewith as the same is operated.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided an improvedform of tooth for the weeder in which each is individually hinged to theangle bar of the implement and each provided with means to normallyengage the ground, and it will further be seen that by providing eachtooth with a shoulder formed by looping the body portion thereof, theweight applied to each of said teeth will be retained thereon. It willstill further be seen that by providing a guide plate having slotstherein through which said teeth extend, the lateral movement of saidteeth will be prevented as well as the upward movement limited, and itwill still further be seen that by providing a lever connection with theguide plate, said teeth may be completely raised off the ground whendesired. It will further be seen that my improved form of teeth is ofextremely simple construction and thereby inexpensive to manufacture andone which is extremely effective in operation. Furthermore, by means ofthe lever and guide member, the teeth may be effectively held in rigidengagement with the ground or allowed to act independently, and whenacting independently, the same will follow all inequalities andunevenness of the grounds surface.

hat I claim is:

1. In an implement of the class described, the combination with a bar;of a plurality of teeth individually hinged thereto, means to normallyretain said teeth in engagement with the ground, a slotted guide platepivoted on said bar and through which said teeth extend, and means toraise said guide plate to correspondingly raise said teeth from theground conjunctively.

2. In an ii'nplement of the class described, the combination with a bar;of a plurality of teeth having individual hinged connection therewith, aweight slidably mounted on each of said teeth to normally position thesame in engagement with the ground, means to retain the weights on theteeth, and guiding means for said teeth.

3. In an implement of'the class described, the combination with a bar ofa plurality of teeth having individual hinged connection therewith,weight members slidably mounted on said teeth to normally position thesame in engagement with the ground, said teeth being looped in theirlengths to retain the weights thereon, a slot-ted guide plate throughwhich said teeth extend, and means to raise and lower said plate andcorrespondingly the teeth.

a. In an implement of the class described, the combination with an anglebar having a plurality of slots therein; of a plurality of teethextending through said slots, the upper ends of said teeth being bent atright angles and engaged with said bar to provide individual hingedconnections for the teeth therewith, weight means to normally disposesaid teeth in engagement with the ground, a slotted guide plate throughwhich said teeth extend, and means to raise and lower said plate andcorrespondingly the teeth.

5. In an implement of the class described, the combination with a bar;of a plurality of teeth, the upper ends of which are bent at rightangles and engaged with said bar for individual pivotal connectiontherewith, and weight members slidably mounted on said. teeth tonormally dispose the same in engagement with the ground, said teethbeing looped in their lengths to retain said weight members thereon.

(3. In an implement of the class described, the combination with a crossbar and a plurality of teeth individually hinged thereto; of weights onsaid teeth to normally dispose the same in engagement with the groundand allow independent movement thereof, and means to collectively raisesaid teeth above the ground and also collectively force the same intoengagement therewith.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

FREDERICK B. SPRAGUE.

Witnesses ALBERT Gr. LADD, E. S. BILLINGS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, 7

Washington, D. C.

